STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Add another name to the cluster of 2013 New York City mayoral candidates.

Sal Albanese, a former Brooklyn city councilman, two-time mayoral candidate and a 1992 Staten Island congressional candidate, officially announced he will run as a Democrat and compete in the September primary.

“The world’s greatest city – New York City – deserves a government that works for all New Yorkers,” Albanese said in a statement.

“That starts with a mayor who is independent from party bosses and special interests, who isn’t afraid to be honest with people and who is focused on the issues New Yorkers care about most.”

In announcing his candidacy, Albanese noted his support of gay rights and term limits while he was in the council, where he was considered a maverick and one of its most liberal members.

“At the end of the day, New Yorkers need a mayor who understands the problems they face, brings a smart plan and good people to the table, and, more than anything, has the independence, courage, and conviction to do the right thing,” Albanese said.

Albanese lost his first mayoral bid to Rudolph Giuliani in 1997 when he ran as an Independent, and dropped out of the 2001 race when his campaign failed to raise enough money.